


World's Finest

by batcarolines



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, DCU (Comics), Justice League - All Media Types, Superman - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst with a Happy Ending, Developing Relationship, Domestic Fluff, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Smut, F/F, Making Love, Rule 63, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-14
Updated: 2018-08-14
Packaged: 2019-02-06 16:35:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12821577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/batcarolines/pseuds/batcarolines
Summary: The development of the relationship between Batman and Superman - from rivals, to friends, to lovers.





	World's Finest

**Author's Note:**

> Before you dive into this story there are some basic things you need to know:  
> 1\. First and foremost the main characters are women - meet Clarke Kent and Bryce Wayne! Their personalities stayed the same I only altered their looks (especially Bryce's). Their "Superman" and "Batman" titles remain unchanged as well (not "Superwoman" and "Batwoman" because these are completely different characters that already exist in the DC Universe)  
> 2\. English is not my first language so if you spot any mistakes let me know!  
> 3\. As you can read in the tags the Justice League members are the ones from the animated series but the story is not set in that universe (more of a "universal" universe so to speak - it's got bits and pieces of various universes), it's just my preferred squad - let me know if you want me to include some more characters!  
> 4\. I might edit the tags in the future, I'm making the story up as I go but hopefully, you stick around till the end!  
> 5\. I can't promise a scheduled routine of posting each chapter - university takes up most of my time. But I will try posting once a week - starting Christmas 2017.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Intrigued by each other's media presence and unsure of the other's intentions, Batman and Superman meet for the first time, each trying to decide what to think of the other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It only took me 8 months to update this story :)))  
> Uni's been hell and I haven't been able to properly sit down and write this story but alas - here it is!  
> Once again - English is not my first language so if you spot any spelling/grammatical mistakes let me know and I'll make sure to fix them asap.  
> For now: enjoy the long-awaited chapter 1!
> 
> Here's the premise of the story just to jog your memory:  
> Before you dive into this story there are some basic things you need to know:  
> 1\. First and foremost the main characters are women - meet Clarke Kent and Bryce Wayne! Their personalities stayed the same I only altered their looks (especially Bryce's). Their "Superman" and "Batman" titles remain unchanged as well (not "Superwoman" and "Batwoman" because these are completely different characters that already exist in the DC Universe)  
> 2\. English is not my first language so if you spot any mistakes let me know!  
> 3\. As you can read in the tags the Justice League members are the ones from the animated series but the story is not set in that universe (more of a "universal" universe so to speak - it's got bits and pieces of various universes), it's just my preferred squad - let me know if you want me to include some more characters!  
> 4\. I might edit the tags in the future, I'm making the story up as I go but hopefully, you stick around till the end!  
> 5\. I can't promise a scheduled routine of posting each chapter - university takes up most of my time. But I will try posting once a week.

\- Who is this woman, Alfred? - The sound of the silver tray being gently placed on a nearby table echoed into the darkness of the cave, startling a swarm of bats deep within the emptiness.  
Bryce was sitting at the computer, her hands clasped together under her chin, her brows furrowed in concentration and thought. Her gaze was fixed on a video streaming on one of the monitors.  
Alfred poured hot liquid into an expensive porcelain cup and placed it with great care next to the Wayne heiress. His eyes followed the young woman’s onto the sleek surface of the glass screen.  
\- That, ma'am, I believe is Superman  
Bryce sat back on the leather chair, one of her hands resting on the handle, the other leaning on her elbow, the young woman’s fingers fumbling slowly in concentration. The butler who foolishly thought that his answer would satisfy the forever curious mind of his employer gazed longingly at the abandoned cup hoping the woman would take pity in the rapidly degrading temperature of the tea. Sighing deeply, admitting his defeat, he looked up at the same monitor Bryce was so intensely staring at.  
The looped footage showed a burning building, debris falling from the sky, wounded screaming in pain. Alfred’s grimace of apprehension was met with the stoic indifference painting on the young woman’s face. It was clear she had watched the footage hundreds of times, analyzing every second. Then suddenly, from all that chaos and suffering, emerged a figure, bearing a symbol of an 'S' on their chest. Upon closer inspection, it was easy to determine that the silhouette belonged to a young woman. She effortlessly picked up a large chunk of debris with one hand, clearing a path for some terrified children, then proceeded to lift up in the air and fly to a different part of ground zero.  
This footage has been all over the news since the terrorist attack at the Metropolis Central Station a week ago. Alfred recalled reading about ‘Superman saving the day’ in the morning newspaper before he and a breakfast tray were welcomed by an empty bed in the Manor above the Cave.  
- Incredible strength, flight… She’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen, Alfred. She’s not human.  
\- They do call her Superman for a reason, Master Wayne.  
The recording vanished from the monitor and was replaced by newspaper headlines and articles.  
\- Different Metropolis news outlets have been reporting sightings of an unidentified flying object for months now. I think she's been keeping a low profile up until last week. What I don't understand is why. - Bryce narrowed her eyes, sinking even deeper into her thoughts.  
Alfred glanced over at the tea patiently waiting on the side, the steam thinning with every minute thanks to the chill of the cave. He decided to offer some of his wisdom to clear her the doubts up.  
\- I believe she's trying to help in her own way. Same as you I suppose, Master Wayne.  
\- I'm not a flying weapon of mass destruction, Alfred.  
\- Some people believe that you are.  
Bryce’s lips formed a thin line of disapproval at her butler’s sarcasm as she shifted her gaze from the screen onto him, making sure he saw the objection under her furrowed brows. Her gaze softened once the butler offered a reassuring smile, the same he's been sporting for all these years every time she found herself in a conundrum. Bryce sighed feeling defeated, knowing that her own logic did not resonate with him.  
\- I don't know anything about her. Who she is, where she's from, what she can do, and most importantly: what motivates her. Why is she here? I can't allow myself to trust her, Alfred. She's an unknown. A dangerous unknown.  
The butler graced the now cold tea one last look before putting his hand on Bryce's shoulder and squeezing it gently.  
\- She will remain that way if you continue to sulk in here watching archived footage over and over again. I know socializing isn't your forte but a meeting might clear up your doubts.  
He picked up the empty tray, leaving the porcelain cup behind and moved towards the stairs leading up back to the Manor, leaving Bryce lost in deep contemplation, too focused to argue with his advice. Just as he was about to leave the dark and dump cave through the doors at the top of the staircase, he was stopped by a soft:  
\- Thanks for the tea, Alfred.

  
* * *

\- Who is this woman, Lois?  
Clarke was sitting at her desk in the Daily Planet’s bullpen, an amateur-shot phone video playing on loop on her company-issued dusty old computer's monitor. She tried to focus on every detail, rewinding the video over and over again, but the surrounding sounds of the chaos made by reporters calling their sources and setting up interviews or just plainly doing their jobs and hitting the keyboard keys just a little too loudly for Clarke's sensitive hearing, made it almost impossible to concentrate.  
As she unloaded a huge stack of papers onto the desk and sat at its edge, Lois looked over to see what got Clarke in such a conundrum. After her inspection was concluded she looked over at Clarke and sent her a questioning look.  
\- I know you grew up on a farm, Smallville, but we do have TVs in Metropolis. You might wanna turn one on once in a while.  
Clarke rolled her eyes.  
\- Look, Smallville, you're not the only one who wants to know who that menace is – just ask the GCPD how their investigation is going. Glad to know you think I would be the one with the most desired info in the state, though.  
\- I didn't mean it like that. I want to know why anyone in their right mind would dress up in a bat costume and beat up people at night.  
\- Gotham is a fucked up place with fucked up people. That – Lois pointed at the blurry silhouette on the screen – is just solid proof.  
Clarke sighed and laid back on her chair which creaked under her weight. She made sure to make the effort not to break it each time she tried to relax.  
\- Some people think it's an actual bat. Like a vengeful ghost or a monster or something. - Clarke looked over, hoping to get Lois to spill some of her own ideas, just to get someone to talk to about it.  
This time it was Lois who rolled her eyes.  
\- This is just a case of a self-righteous, thrill-seeking freak who's gonna get locked up in a few months, Clarke. Someone in the Planet is gonna write a short editorial about 'The Batman turning out to be an escaped mental asylum patient' and the whole thing's gonna die down.  
\- You think she's crazy? She just goes around punching random people?  
\- Of course she's crazy. What do you think?  
\- I think she has a purpose. This whole stunt is too elaborate to be baseless – it's been going on for months now and the GCPD are totally helpless – the only lead they have is that 'The Batman' is targeting criminals of all backgrounds, petty street con artists, drug dealers. She even went after Falcone last month, shutting down one of his smuggling operations. - Clarke kept on trotting out, frantically looking for police reports and blurry photos scattered all over her desk.  
Lois looked at her with a mixture of contempt, surprise, and pity.  
\- Gee, you've really lost it, Smallville. Why are you so obsessed with the new Gotham Mascot?  
\- I just... I wanna know what drives a person to do that. Risk your own life and take justice into your own hands. Lost faith in the justice system? Troubled childhood? Her own criminal past?  
\- How about an interview? Oh, I can see the headline now: 'Kansas girl taking on the mysterious Gotham vigilante'. Damn, can't believe I pitched you that idea. Might have won me another Pulitzer.  
\- Sure mock me all you want. But I'm telling you this is bigger than one lunatic randomly attacking people. Question is: is she going to stop at throwing punches or move onto something more lethal?  
\- Nice subheadline for the article, Smallville. Love the creative thinking.  
Clarke was about to fire back a comeback but was brutally stopped by Lois's phone ringing viciously in her pocket. The reporter looked at the screen and frowned.  
\- We'll have to continue discussing your fascinating fix some other time, it's my source on the Lavender murder case. - Lois pointed at the phone that was now by her ear. After a few seconds of vicious nodding, her entire face lit up as she muttered a quick "on my way." - Duty calls. - She grabbed her bag and jacket from her own chair and started heading towards the exit.  
\- Keep on digging, Lo. - Clarke fired as a farewell to Lois's back.  
\- Always do, Smallville. Always do. - The reporter shouted back, turning around one last time before exiting through the wore-down doors of decades of dedicated journalism.

  
***

Clarke's dedicated research on the newest Gotham attraction took most of her free time, that is what little was left of it between working full time as a reporter and slowly but surely extending the time spend on saving and protecting the citizens of Metropolis. It's been a month since she made her first public appearance and she was gradually getting used to the attention she was receiving. Unlike the Gotham Bat, the people of Metropolis were unanimous in their adoration for Superman.  
'Might have something to do with the fact that I don't beat up people half to death at night on lousy street corners' Clarke thought, getting ready to go to bed. She put her glasses down on the bedside nightstand and climbed under the covers, turning the TV on in her usual evening ritual fashion, in case there was anything that needed her attention, or rather – people in danger who might need her help.  
\- ...as we see on screen. The building is abandoned and has been scheduled for demolition next week. The cause of the fire still remains unknown. - the distraught voice of the TV presenter spread through the small apartment.  
In the blink of an eye, Clarke was dressed and flying out of her open window, the 'S' proudly donning her chest sending a clear message to the city below her.  
She quickly located the fire and landed on the ground next to a fire brigade parked outside the burning construction.  
\- How bad is it? - Clarke scanned the roof of the abandoned building and turned to the Chief, a man in his mid-40's, who was clearly glad to see her, even though her entrance startled him.  
\- My boys can't get up there to put the fire out, the whole building is a debris hazard, the staircase is unusable and it's too high for our lifts. It was scheduled to be demolished next week, guess someone just couldn't wait to get rid of the ugly thing.  
\- Anyone inside?  
\- No, it's been abandoned for years, even junkies and hobos refused to set foot in that death trap.  
Following the 'trust but verify' rule Superman scanned each floor with her X-ray vision and gladly concluded that the Chief was correct.  
\- Alright, clear the area, get your people to safety, Chief. I'm going in. - Clarke was about to fly into the air before she was stopped by a hand on her cuff.  
\- Hey, be careful, kid.  
Superman sent the man a bright and genuine smile.  
\- Always am. - And flew away, reaching the very top of the 40-stories skyscraper in seconds.  
Once she found herself at the source of the fire, she quickly put it out with her breath, surprised at how small it turned out to be. She hovered over the roof, inspecting its surface and looking for anything that might have caused the fire.  
\- Doesn't take much to get your attention. - a deep, gruff voice came over from the darkest part of the roof. Clarke crossed her arms on her chest and furrowed her brows as a dark, tall figure emerged from the shadows, glaring at her from below. Clarke had to admit, watching blurry footage of 'the Batman' was one thing but seeing the woman with her own eyes was an experience. She was tall with a brooding demeanor, looking straight at Clarke with no admiration or fear. Clarke was completely dumbfounded by her presence.  
\- Who are you? - Batman said without any additional ceremonials or even explaining herself for setting a building on fire just to meet Clarke.  
\- Nice to meet you too. - Clarke finally shook off the initial disbelief and decided to fire back at the hostility with sarcasm. - Glad you're not a demon. You always set buildings on fire when you want to hang out with people?  
At that moment Superman could have sworn the glare became deadly.  
\- Cut the crap, I'm not here to make friends. I need to know if you're dangerous. - Bryce barked back, getting annoyed by the smartass comments. She had Alfred for that.  
\- Only if you make me mad.  
\- I tend to do that.  
\- Then you should watch your back.  
Silence fell between the two of them, the remains of the threat lingering in the air between them.  
\- You're not from here, aren't you? - Bryce finally broke the silence, remembering why she came here in the first place: to gather as much intel as possible, preferably without getting into a fistfight with the equivalent of an atomic bomb.  
Clarke considered her answer carefully.  
\- My accent gave it away? - She tried to joke but when the expression barely visible from under the Bat's mask didn't shift even slightly into what one might consider a smile, she decided to move the conversation forward. - No, I'm not. I'm well... an alien.  
\- What are you capable of? - The extraterrestrial revelation seemed not to phase the dark silhouette even a bit and instead she just continued interrogating Clarke.  
\- How about you answer one of my questions for a change?  
Clarke was given a grunt in response which she assumed meant permission to pry just a little bit.  
\- Are you dangerous?  
\- As long as you're not you have nothing to worry about. I only punish the guilty.  
\- And I only protect the innocent.  
Clarke lowered herself and moved closer to the surface of the roof, hoping to get a better look at the vigilante. In response, Batman moved back into the shadows, making sure to keep the distance between the two of them.  
\- I came here to tell you that I don't trust you. From what I've seen, you're unstoppable. Whatever your intentions are now, they may change and that leaves the world with an unchecked, unpredictable ticking bomb ready to explode. And I won't let you do that.  
Clarke was tired of the irrational, paranoid human she was seeing in front of her.  
\- I hope you realize that works both ways – if you ever decide that breaking bones just doesn't cut it anymore, remember – I'll be there to stop you.  
\- Stay out of my way and we won't have a problem. - Batman snapped back.  
A news helicopter suddenly flew over their heads, no doubt reporting the fire. Clarke shot it a quick glance before turning to face Batman again. Instead, she was met only with the darkness of the roof, the vigilante was gone.  
\- Deal. - Superman muttered into the void and flew away.  
As much as Clarke was glad the Bat left, she had a feeling this wasn't the last time they would see each other. Bryce, on the other hand, was planning on never stepping foot in Metropolis again, hoping to avoid the ridiculous alien for the rest of her life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was it worth the eternal wait? Let me know what you think in the comments or if you prefer it you can hit me up on Twitter or Tumblr @batcarolines.  
> Also, I was seriously debating whether to genderbent Lois but ultimately decided against it (I just couldn't stop myself from writing that snarky sassy reporter)- let me know if it was a good idea.  
> If you spot any mistakes - let me know!  
> If you have any ideas - let me know!  
> The next few chapters are partially written already, I need to fill in some blanks and check my spelling but I should be able to release a chapter a week from now on. Scout's honor!


End file.
